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11.23.2013

oak & ash

“There is
a thing in me that dreamed of trees,”- A Dream of Trees, Mary Oliver

There are two trees in my life, an oak and an ash that
have served as my personal sentinels throughout the years, visibly documenting
the ceaseless progression of time. Each season, I have gazed upon them, seeing
bare limbs bud, green leaves grow, and auburn leaves tumble and whirl.

Presently, the trees are dressed in tones of green,
gold, and brown, their transitory garments paying homage to the warm autumn
days and the approaching winter nights. Perhaps it is my viewing of them that
has influenced the crafting of this year’s Thanksgiving favors. Decorated with
the season’s transitional garb, they feature snippets of holiday recollections
and encase a square of chocolate. During their crafting, I was reminded how the
trees themselves had been part and parcel of so many memories-- the ash, a
custodian of our frequently visited treehouse; the oak, an ever altering visage
in numerous generational photographs. Both have played the silent companion to
those that have come, and gone, and those that remain.

I think I like these two trees best, a bit more than the
faithful evergreens that dutifully maintain their appointed colors. Not that
the live oak and cedar aren’t lovely, trimmed in traces of light, white snow or
outfitted in their vivid greens against the summer’s scorched landscape; but
the evergreens do not quietly remind me of the unremitting nature of change and
the cyclical beauty that accompanies it.

It’s the season of thanks, and once again, there is no
better time to enjoy these precious trees with the loved ones in my life- the
ash, during an early morning breakfast with my husband, and the oak, as it
greets me and my entourage of little ones as we tramp and plod along the lane.

Happy holiday. Happy life.

Postscript: Even though there will be sweets aplenty
amongst our Thanksgiving feast, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to reflect upon
a few memories and share just one more square of chocolate with my fellow
chocoholics. These small 3.25” X 3.25” Kraft envelopes fit my purpose
perfectly. A bit of cardstock, decorative paper, and copper-colored fasteners were
all that were required to create this simple, sweet treat.